Ferrari Mailing List: Ferraris at Le Mans

[ken rentiers (rentiers]

Here's to Le Mans,  three short weeks away. No fewer than five F430s  
are entered in GT2, including two from RIsi Competizioni. There is a  
550 in GT1. There are Aston Martins, Saleens, Panozes (Panozii?) and  
a Lamborghini Murcielago along with gaggles of Corvettes and  
Porsches.  And that's only in the GT divisions; Peugot has a new  
diesel machine to challenge Audi's oilburner dominance in the  
prototypes. 'Prototypes'.....a development class!  Variety!   
Michelin, Pirelli, Dunlop, Kumho, Yokohama - I could go on.....

What a breath of fresh exhaust fumes! Memorial Day Weekend is touted  
as the biggest racing weekend of the year. This Sunday we were  
treated to the Dallara-Honda Parade formerly known as "Indianapolis",  
in which the sole variable is the addition of lady drivers, just as  
in the Wheel Of Death Motorcycle Thrill Shows of yesteryear that  
graced so many midwestern carnivals and state fairs. Round and round  
they go....as do the manly men of NASCAR, soon to be relegated to the  
Car of Tomorrow which is powered by the Carburetor of Yesterday. Too  
bad the single-spec Panpz-Cosworths (sorry: Champ Cars) were all  
banned from Indy. At least Indy 500 entrants are still allowed to  
paint their cars in distinct colors of choice.

Then we have Formula One, the putative 'development' formula where  
engine design has been frozen for half a decade, revs are now limited  
and single spec bodies are the new hot topic. At least the cars still  
turn both left and right! Innovation is limited to the adjustment of  
down force and selection of spring rates. The hottest competition is  
by the pit stop crews, it is the pits where all the passing occurs.

So here's to Le Mans, imperfect as it is. And here's to the WRC,  
impossible to find on North American TV despite 600 channels. And the  
SCCA and all the other obscure series where the true racing of real  
cars persists, as opposed to the TV product known as Racertainment.  
And here's to me, and the other six or seven guys who still care.

-ken-